I am in the process of consolidating all of my websites into one – this one. You may have reached this page from my domain name vanladymarylou.com where I was posting mostly links to video about my camper van and some video about various places in Florida and Georgia.
Now, I will be posting that content here and other info about various lifestyles: home ownership, apartment life, RVing and van life, and other life styles. And unfortunately, there are too many people living right here in the United States who are living a life of homelessness….so you may see some info about that too…..unfortunate as it is!
I bought this tent to carry with me in my minivan converted to a camper van. (Made in Cambodia) – 10 ft x 9 ft x 78 in (3.05m x 2.74m x 1.98m). I plan to use it more like a screened room when I camp in a park that allows tent camping. My bed in the van is very comfortable, and I think I will prefer it rather than sleeping on the ground.
UNP Tents 6 Person Waterproof Windproof Easy Setup,Double Layer Family Camping Tent with 1 Mesh Door & 5 Large Mesh Windows -10’X9’X78in(H)
Instructions for set up that came with the tent follow:
Warning
There is a warning that comes with the tent:
This recreational product requires two people to assemble. (Videos show one person putting it up, and I am going to try to put it up alone…..I will post video of me making an attempt to put it up alone….so we will see.)
THIS RECREATIONAL ITEM IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE AS A PERMANENT STRUCTURE. This product has been developed and is intended to provide protection from sun and light rain. DO NOT use any gas flame sources under or near this product. The product is NOT WATERPROOF. Excess water build-up can cause the frame system to become unstable, and collapse, causing injury. Any personal accessories or modifications to this product should be completely dismantled to avoid permanent damage to product components and avoid any possibility of personal injury. This product is not a toy. This product is not designed for use by children without adult supervision. Under no circumstances should this product be used as a permanent or temporary storage facility for children’s toys, garden tools, personal belongings or similar valuables. Consumer-made modifications for extended use (i.e. permanently securing to decks and patios and/or Consumer’s failure to follow stated guidelines) will invalidate UNIPROS Limited warranty, expressed or implied.
Parts list
To put tent up
Step 1
Empty contents of bag and confirm all parts are included and undamaged. Tip: Do this at home before you leave on your trip.
Select a smooth level site and spread out your tent, with the door facing the desired direction.
Secure tent floor by driving stakes through pin-ring assemblies.
Extend and sort all poles ready for installation.
Step 2
Gently flex longer roof pole (C) and place end into ribbed side of elbow connector at one roof corner. Repeat at other end. Do the same with remaining pole. Poles will cross at the center.
Using the shorter Roof Middle Pole (B), slide pole through the pole sleeve in teh roof center. Gently flex and insert ends of pole into pockets located above door zippers.
Insert a steel leg pole (A) into the smooth end of Elbow Connector and insert the other end of pole onto its pin and ring assembly. Repeat for all leg poles.
Snap J-Hooks (attached to tent body) on tent pole to shape the tent.
Step 3
Drape rainfly over the tent connect S-Hooks to the O-ring on the leg poles, making sure that logo is on the right side of the rainfly.
Fasten the nylon fasteners located under the rainfly on to the 4 leg poles to shape the rainfly.
Step 4
To stabilize the tent, unroll the guy ropes attached to the webbing loops on the rainfly. Make a loop at the opposite end of the guy line using the plastic slider and place the loop over the tent stake. Drive the stake into the ground to secure. Adjust the plastic slider to tighten the guy rope. Repeat for each guy rope.
Are you moving? If so, one decision you will need to make is whether to move, sell, or give away your furniture. Sometimes it costs more to move furniture than it does to discard it and replace it. If you want to give the furniture away, these 5 charities will pick up the furniture for free:
The information in this report is compiled from data obtained from the Southeast Georgia Multiple Listing Service (SEGA MLS). The purpose of this report is to compare homes in the City of Waycross and Ware County, Georgia, that were sold in the first 9 months of 2022 by REALTORS® who are members of the SEGA MLS to those REALTORS® sold in the first 9 months of 2023.
In full disclosure, the tables and charts in this article illustrate research I do as a REALTOR® when I am analyzing a real estate market in order to price a home for sale. I live in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia, and that area is the subject of this article. Even though I used MLS data taken from the Southeast Georgia MLS (because I am a member of that MLS), the same type of data can be obtained from other sources.
Exactly how I use this compiled information in order to price a home for sale is not the subject of this article. That is what I explain in consultation with sellers mostly, but also with buyers, that I consult with in my job. If interested in how I price a home for sale, let me know…… and I will write another article on that topic later.
Here, my purpose is to illustrate what is happening in Waycross and Ware County in the real estate market at this time. So here goes…..
One thing you will notice in review of the table below is that the number of houses sold in Waycross and Ware County in the first 9 months of 2022 was 332 and the number sold in 2023 was 282. That is significant!
Less homes sold in the first 9 months of 2023 than sold in the first 9 months of 2022, and the average number of days on the market in 2023 was a little higher than in 2022. Demand (# of buyers) has declined significantly in 2023 compared to demand in 2022. If prices do not decline and if interest rates continue to rise, it is my opinion that demand will continue to decline. A lot of buyers are already priced out of the market. Continued price increases are not substantiable in Waycross.
At the end of this article, additional tables provide more information comparing sales prices in Waycross-Ware County in the third quarter of the years of 2022 and 2023.
If you have any questions about the information in this article or want information on other markets or more information on the Waycross market, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my contact form on this website or just give me a call.
And if you subscribe to my my blog, you will be notified when I post other articles! A subscription is free, and you can easily cancel if you decide to do so later.
Anyone wanting to purchase a home who will need to finance should first contact a lender for advice.
According to the following posted article, 1 in 5 millennials say they will never be able to own their own home. I believe that it is probably more like 3 in 5 will never be able to own their own home unless actual affordable homes come on the market. And this is not just in one location in the United States….and it is not just in the United States. In the U.K., Canada, and other places in the world, the ability to find affordable housing is worse.
About affordable housing, a company has purchased land in Waycross, Georgia, where they are planning to build homes for “low-income buyers” priced at between $250,000 and $350,000. (Waycross Journal Herald, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023).
I say, really! I don’t call $250,000 to $350,000 affordable for lower-income buyers.
The information in this report is compiled from data obtained from the Southeast Georgia Multiple Listing Service (SEGA MLS). The purpose of this report is to compare homes in the City of Waycross and Ware County, Georgia, that were sold in July 2023 by REALTORS® who are members of the SEGA MLS to those that SEGA MLS REALTORS® sold one year ago in July 2022.
In full disclosure, this illustrates in part types of research I do as a REALTOR® when I am analyzing a real estate market in order to price a home for sale. I live in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia, and that area is the subject of this article. Even though I used MLS data taken from the Southeast Georgia MLS (because I am a member of that MLS), the same type of data can be obtained from other sources.
Market Comparison Report by Price
This is a downloadable and printable report that breaks down the sales in 2022 and 2023 by price, so you can see the difference in the number and price of homes sold in those 2 years. Note that this is a report that includes all of the sales made by all of the REALTORS® who are members of the SEGA MLS only. There may have been sales made by owner and by REALTORS® who have listed properties for sale in a different MLS.
If you have any questions about the information in this article or want information on other markets, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my contact form on this website or just give me a call.
And if you subscribe to my my blog, you will be notified when I post other articles! A subscription is free, and you can easily cancel if you decide to do so later.
The information in this report is compiled from data obtained from the Southeast Georgia Multiple Listing Service (SEGA MLS). The purpose of this report is to compare homes in the City of Waycross and Ware County, Georgia, that were sold in the first six months of 2022 by REALTORS® who are members of the SEGA MLS to those REALTORS® sold in the first six months of 2023.
In full disclosure, the tables and charts in this article illustrate research I do as a REALTOR® when I am analyzing a real estate market in order to price a home for sale. I live in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia, and that area is the subject of this article. Even though I used MLS data taken from the Southeast Georgia MLS (because I am a member of that MLS), the same type of data can be obtained from other sources.
January – June 2022 – Marketing Statistics
Waycross-Ware County Georgia Home Sales – January – June 2022
January – June 2023 – Marketing Statistics
Waycross-Ware County Georgia Home Sales – January – June 2023
Exactly how I use this compiled information in order to price a home for sale is not the subject of this article. That is what I explain in consultation with sellers mostly, but also with buyers, that I consult with in my job. If interested in how I price a home for sale, let me know…… and I will write another article on that topic later.
Here, my purpose is to illustrate what is happening in Waycross and Ware County in the real estate market. So here goes…..
One thing you will notice in review of the table below is that the number of houses sold in Waycross and Ware County in the first six months of 2022 was 167 and the number sold in 2023 was 130. You will also notice that a little over half of the houses sold in the first six months of 2022 sold at or above list price, and in the first six months of 2023 that declined to just a little over one-third of the houses selling at or above list price. That is significant!
You will also notice that the average days on the market and the median days on the market are both higher in 2023 than in 2022. That is also significant!
Less homes sold in the first six months of 2023 than sold in the first six months of 2022, and the average number of days on the market in 2023 was higher than in 2022. Also, in the first six months of 2023, there was a significant drop in the percentage of sellers getting at or above their list price. This tells me that prices are no longer rising and that not as many homes were being realistically priced when listed for sale in the first six months of 2023 as were priced when listed in 2022.
At the end of this article, another table provides additional information comparing sales in Waycross-Ware County in the first six months of the years of 2022 and 2023.
If you have any questions about the information in this article or want information on other markets, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my contact form on this website or just give me a call.
And if you subscribe to my my blog, you will be notified when I post other articles! A subscription is free, and you can easily cancel if you decide to do so later.
Historically, when mortgage interest rates start rising, home prices start declining….. And though we are not seeing declines in home prices in all markets yet, I believe declines are coming within the next year!
Declines in home prices right now are delayed because there is a lack of homes on the market for sale, which we call low inventory.
Higher interest rates + Higher inventory = Lower home prices
I bought my first home in the 1970s at the age of 27 years old, and my mortgage rate was over 10 percent. I did not blink an eye over the rate and accepted it as normal. It was all I ever knew. But in full disclosure, the sales price for the home I bought was $22,000, and my payment was about $225 per month (principal, taxes, and insurance). My annual salary as a second year teacher was about $7,700. I was teaching 7th grade then.
When I purchased my second home, which was around 1985, my interest rate was again over 10 percent….As I recall, my interest rate on that home was about 12 percent…..The price of the home was $50,000, and my payment was about $700 per month (principal, taxes, and insurance). I was then an Assistant Professor at a community college, and my annual salary was about $24,000. I refinanced that home twice in the 1990s as the interest rate started declining. I never took the equity out of that home; I refinanced to lower my payment. The last time I refinanced that home, my interest rate was about 7.5 percent……I thought I had hit the jackpot with such a low interest rate. A rate of 7.5 percent then was considered to be extremely low…..
Today, the average interest rate is 7-something percent. And today, an interest rates of around 7 percent for most buyers is considered high……But, everything is relative! Times change!
To my thinking over the past few years, the low interest rates were too low and unsustainable….. I knew they would never last!
For buyers, the low interest rates over the past recent years on home mortgages (and on car loans) have been at give away rates…..
It should be noted that the low interest rates in recent past years have been hurting people financially with savings, especially retirees who invested over their working years in IRAs and various annuity plans. Their savings and investments did not earn much when interest rates were really low. Now people with savings are earning more on the money they have saved.
But for now, too many without a lot of savings who need a mortgage to buy a home have gotten priced out of buying for now…… Sad!
People living pay-check to pay-check are not doing so well…..For them, the economy is not good!
As all scammers will do, they first take their time in conversation by some means to build up your confidence in them. “The scammer’s goal is not to ask for money but coax the victim to invest in a fake trading website or platform that shows a bogus balance with lots of profit (Williams, 2023).”
Secretary State Raffensperger of the State of Georgia (U.S.A.) is warning everyone to be on their guard for this scam through a news release that is published by news media all over the State of Georgia. According to Raffensperger, “Everday Georgians, especially retirees, are falling victim to unscrupulous con artists miles and miles away (Williams, 2023).”
Once you are scammed, it is difficult, if not impossible to ever get your money back. So, it can’t be said too often, DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ANYONE THAT YOU DON’T KNOW OR AT LEAST CAN’T VERIFY TO BE REAL.
Scammers are using fake identities, including fake stolen pictures and fake identification sources. It is so sad that we can’t trust anyone now, because everyone out there does not want to do us harm…..But because so many are out there do want to do us harm, the safest way to live in this day and time is to not let anyone we do not personally know to be real into our world, especially through social media, email, phone calls, texts, or even traditional mail. It is just too easy for people from all over the world to pose as someone who is your neighbor, long lost cousin, mother, brother, child, or romantic partner.
Just VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY!
If you live in the State of Georgia and think you have been scammed or have been the victim of an attempted scam, contact the secretary of state’s office at registrations@sos.ga.gov or call 470-312-2640. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. (See info at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed.)
To learn more about this scam, see the reference list that follows.
References:
Seshadri, A. (2023, July 28). International “pig-butchering” scam affecting Georgians. WSAV. https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/georgia-news/international-pig-butchering-scam-affecting-georgians/ (Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
What to do if you were scammed. Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice. (2023, May 17). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed
Williams, D. (2023, July 24). Raffensperger warns of new cryptocurrency scam. Northwest Georgia News. https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/local/raffensperger-warns-of-new-cryptocurrency-scam/article_27c11fca-2a45-11ee-bb15-e3fabd4ec726.html (Also published in newspapers all over Georgia, including the Waycross Journal-Herald on July 29, 2023, pp 1, 2.)
There are those who have jobs as scammers. They are located all over the world…..It is an international business. And if they can’t get your money one way, they will try to get it in another way.
In an attempt to stop the scammers from stealing money from their victims, the ethical hacker has become an actual job. There is actually a certification for the job, and as a certified ethicalhacker, one can make a lot of money.
According Infosec Resources (Brecht, 2022), the following are some of the “hottest” job titles for a CEH and their respective salaries:
Info Security Manager (pay range: $77k – $154k/avg. $117,528)
The most lucrative job titles for a CEH appear to be titles such as “manager” or “engineer.” Below are also the most popular skills and their effect on salary (Brecht, 2022).
IT Security & Infrastructure ▲2% (avg. $85,000/year)
Some who started out as criminal internet hackers have found their way into ethical hacking positions. My hope and prayer is that more of the criminals will find their way out of using technology for the bad and start using their skills for the good…..but I am not very optimistic that many will know how to get there even if they want to do so. Many of them are working in organized crime, and some of those people get locked into it according to my understanding.
So it is up to all of us to learn how to recognize red flags and how to safeguard ourselves. See the articles posted below – especially if you are on dating apps, Facebook, etc., and getting into personal communications with people you do not personally know….and/or especially if you are getting ready to sell or buy real estate. The article, 11 real estate scams: How to stay safe when buying a Home, cites many of the reasons that I, as a REALTOR® and licensed real estate broker, advise both buyers and sellers to use a REALTOR® and not try to do a FSBO (For Sale By Owner).
Whether or not America really has a shortage of homes is debatable. It is all about how you count the homes. In the article Analysis: U.S. Needs More than 4M Homes by Adam Barnes in Florida REALTORS® on June 26, 2023, the answer is YES. But is that true?
Here is another viewpoint. See the video below, which is provided by the Real Estate Mindset. He talks about all of vacant housing in the United States that are doing nothing….that are not for sale or for rent. Just watch the video…..It is well done and well said!
My tent was delivered today! I bought this tent to carry with me in my minivan converted to a camper van. (Made in Cambodia) – 10 ft x 9 ft x 78 in (3.05m x 2.74m x 1.98m). I plan to use it more like a screened room when I camp in a park that allows tent camping. My bed in the van is very comfortable, and I think I will prefer it rather than sleeping on the ground.
“If you are considering selling your home, you have likely seen ads for brokerages who will list your home for a discounted commission — or even a flat fee — but provide minimal services in return. What does this look like during the transaction? Check out the chart below to see the comparison.”
Below, you can download a copy a flyer on this topic.
Mary Kelly, dbaMary Kelly MBA, is a full-service licensed real estate broker in the states of Florida and Georgia (U.S.A.) & REALTOR®.
According to the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, there were 17 governors who were Republicans in the 25 states with the highest murder rates and 8 governors who were Republicans in the 10 states with the highest murder rates (Wikipedia.com & Stebbins, 2021) .
The bottom line is that it appears that there are more Republican governors in the states with the highest murder rates.
Personally, I, as a person over 65, believe that I am better protected against getting COVID and more importantly NOT getting seriously ill or dying from it by keeping up with the COVID vaccine boosters. I based my decision on all of my research and reading about COVID and the vaccines – both pros and cons – which has included a lot of research and reading. I followed CDC advice on all COVID precautions over the past three years, and so far, I have been fortunate enough not only to NOT get COVID, but also to NOT get any kind of upper respiratory infection. This is the first years in my whole life that I did not get an upper respiratory infection at least once a year….but it is also the first time in my life that I took the precautions that I have taken over the past three years.
That is just my story…the short version.
See the article I am posting as a reference below that reports on the reasons some have for taking (or not taking) the updated COVID vaccine. Everyone must make their own decisions regarding their own health…I believe in freedom of decision making…. What I do may not be what is best for everyone. Hope my references help you if you are interested in this!
For more references on COVID and vaccinces, see my previous blog post, Update on COVID vaccines.
There were 31,216 fair-housing complaints in 2021, a 9% year-to-year increase. Most complaints cited disabled access, with race discrimination coming in at No.2 (Lenihan, 2023).
And there were probably more complaints in 2022. Unfortunately, publication of statistics will often lag a year or more.
However, on APRIL 26, 2023, in the article titled HUD to Update Disabled Access Regulationspublished on the Florida Realtors website, Kerry Smith states that “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says federal fair-housing regulations about access for those with disabilities should be updated – but it’s not doing so until the public weighs in.”
Comments from the public can be sent (and viewed) electronically through the www.regulations.gov website. However, it might be easier for some who are not really tech savvy to submit comments by mail to the Regulations Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 10276, Washington, DC 20410–0500.
If you are interested in learning more about the HUD regulations, the references below are good resources for you to read and explore. The first article I recommend that you read is Kerry Smith’s article HUD to Update Disabled Access Regulations in which all the other sources below are mentioned.
References:
THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL. (2023, January). The White House Blueprint for a renters Bill of Rights. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/White-House-Blueprint-for-a-Renters-Bill-of-Rights.pdf
Lenihan, R. (2023, April 28). Study finds increase in fair housing complaints. Florida Realtors. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.floridarealtors.org/news-media/news-articles/2023/04/study-finds-increase-fair-housing-complaints
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability: Updates to HUD’s Section 504 Regulations. Federal Register: Housing and Urban Development Dept. (2023). Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/housing-and-urban-development-department (Quotes from website: SUMMARY: This advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeks the public’s input on changes that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD or the Department) is considering to its implementing regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) for federally assisted and HUD conducted programs and activities. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance and in programs and activities conducted by executive agencies. After this ANPRM is published, the Department intends to draft a Notice of a Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would propose the adoption of an updated Federal accessibility standard for purposes of compliance with HUD’s Section 504 regulations. In addition, the Department intends for this NPRM to propose revisions to HUD’s Section 504 regulations to clarify recipients’ obligations, including how to account for advances in accessible design, information and communication technology, and assistive technologies that have become available since HUD’s Section 504 regulations were originally published in 1988. DATES: Comment Due Date: July 24, 2023. Submission of Comments by Mail. Comments may be submitted by mail to the Regulations Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 10276, Washington, DC 20410–0500.)
Smith, K. (2023, April 26). HUD TO UPDATE disabled access regulations. Florida Realtors. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.floridarealtors.org/news-media/news-articles/2023/04/hud-update-disabled-access-regulations
On April 18, 2023, United States regulators cleared another COVID-19 booster dose for older adults and people with weakened immune systems so they can shore up protection this spring.
My primary focus in my writings on this blog in broad terms is the economy. The economy includes almost everything relating to life choices, which most certainly includes choices that pertain to the physical and mental health of all living beings (people, pets, wild animals, plants, and even what is on the dirt of the land, what is below the land, and what is in the air above the land).
This article is about COVID which is a disease that has contributed to worldwide inflation. COVID is not considered to be a pandemic now, and everyone everywhere – almost in the whole world – is tired of COVID… and most are living as if it is not still with us. But, unfortunately, it is still with us! Less people are still getting it, and less people are still dying from it. But there are those among us who are still getting this very contagious disease… and there are still some who are dying from it or dying of complications from it.
And the health of populations around the world has, is, and will continue to impact the economies of the world….
From Health & Economics by Kaavat Venkat (Spring 2021)
“When we first view healthcare, we examine how the economy has benefited us. Studies show that an increase in income is correlated with better health… When new treatments come out to the public, the people who can access it first will be the people who are better off. This causes a divide between classes of people, which increases healthcare inequality, which is when one group of people in an economy is in much worse health than another group. In the United States, health inequality is heavily correlated with income inequality….”
In full disclosure, I am totally up-to-date with my COVID vaccines….I believe in them! I took my second Moderna Bivalent Covid booster shot on April 11, 2023, which was just a few days before the FDA approved the same booster to be given to those over 65 and who are immunocompromised. I took the first Moderna Bivalent Covid booster in September 2022.
So, how was I able to get the second Bivalent booster before it was actually approved for me? And why would I want to do that? Should I not listen to the FDA and CDC recommendations, when I have been adamant about following the recommendations of the FDA and CDC regarding COVID precautions since COVID became a pandemic in the United States back in early 2020? I answer those questions in this article. So continue reading….
In a country with an extremely low unemployment rate as in the United States today, there should not be so many who are homeless. So why are so many homeless?
In addition to those who are homeless today as I write, there are even many more in the United States just one step away from being homeless? Why?
And I am not even counting all of those adults in the U.S. who are living with family and friends because they can’t afford to pay for an apartment or home on their own.
Here are two videos that every American should watch… Homelessness can happen to good, successful people….. Success is just failure turned upside down…. and failure to earn enough money to have a home can happen to good people over night!
This is not the America that we should be living in! Finland does it better.
See these 2 videos.
America is failing even people who are working are homeless because the cost of rent is so high…
YouTube video: Poverty in the USA: Being Poor in the World’s Richest Country
Whether you are a landlord, a property manager, or a REALTOR®, it is important to properly word your advertising so that you are in compliance with Fair Housing Advertising laws and ethical guidelines. To be in compliance, you need to advertise the property and not describe the people you want to reside in the property.
See this Word & Phrase List. Though it is not ALL inclusive of the do’s and don’ts in wording your advertising, it certainly provides a good guideline for you to follow.
My Code of Ethics and promises I make to you…
Embodied in all I do both personally and professionally, I adhere to a code of ethics that opposes discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status sexual orientation, gender identity, and national origin. In addition to my adherence to anti-discrimination, I also promise to go ABOVE and BEYOND for you!
